I’ve been thinking over the past few weeks about making a board game style map that would condensate some map concepts – Feudal, Waterloo, Poland and Clandemonium-We would have 8 starting positions – The Castles – that would be directly connected to the King’s Court by a family member.

Every Castle cluster will have a Catapult maker, an Archer training ground, a vassal Knight, and 2 villages (the more favoured positions/castles on map will have the second village slightly dispersed by 1 hexagon)

The King’s Court

Every family member has direct access to the King’s four Counsellors. These high placed advisers will lend some special abilities to the noble family that better knows how to use their influence on them. They will also grant access to the King.

The King is the most important character/region on map – He can one-way assault any Castle. Gaining power over the Noble families and reverting their Castles to the State.

I can't move them out of place, because they need to remain reachable from the Trebuchets.

And concerning that possible advantage of having an impassible close to it. I don't really agree - all the other castles (unlike D and H) are close to map borders which will compensate for not having an impassable.

Kabanellas wrote:And concerning that possible advantage of having an impassible close to it. I don't really agree - all the other castles (unlike D and H) are close to map borders which will compensate for not having an impassable.

I still disagree. The King's Court acts as an impassable (since it can only be accessed from the castles) making the map actually O-shaped, a ring. Thus I don't see a disadvantage to being in the center... the center castles are effectively just as close to borders as the other ones.

natty_dread wrote:I still disagree. The King's Court acts as an impassable (since it can only be accessed from the castles) making the map actually O-shaped, a ring. Thus I don't see a disadvantage to being in the center... the center castles are effectively just as close to borders as the other ones.

I'll try to explain my point of view Natty:

Take Castle B cluster, for instances. (ultimately) one could defend this cluster in point 4,6,7 and 1 - 4 borders. In Castle H cluster you would have 5 points to defend (even with that impassable)

Helix, I tried the pyramid scheme.. but doesn't quite make it to me graphically. And I had to make the central board wider, which is not a good thing.

I kind of see what you mean, but I like the way it looks with the pyramid thing.

i also love those little silhouettes. It kind of looks like everyone is about to kiss, tee-hee!

This is a totally random suggestion... but what if you used chess pieces instead of silhouettes... field marshal = Rook, bishop = bishop, nobles are pawns... its less a suggestion but more of a notice of similarity. Where the hell is the queen? If macbeth taught me anything it was the queen is one of the most powerful players... well, macbeth and chess.

just one notice/question: why some castles have one village not bordering with its castle and other castles yes?

I've explained it in the first post

Kabanellas wrote:Every Castle cluster will have a Catapult maker, an Archer training ground, a vassal Knight, and 2 villages (the more favoured positions/castles on map will have the second village slightly dispersed by 1 hexagon)

I like this idea Kab.But, I am going to offer an observation-Clandomonium is turning out to be a pretty decient map. When it is finally up and running, I think that it will end up being among CC's most popular and classic maps. Especially with the clan members. ...Lot of promise going on.

It has a unique style all to it's own. I am talking about graphics here. Please consider the fact that if you use the same style on this map, you will be taking away that uniqueness from Clandomonium.

I suggest fiddling around with the textures, and colors, try to separate it from clando. graphically.

Which ever way you decide to go, I look forward to seeing this idea develop.

Pork has a point... I'm a bit conflicted though, I love the style of this map - the slightly "plastic" look really creates a good impression of a hex-based board game, with the archers looking like pieces on the board...

natty_dread wrote:Pork has a point... I'm a bit conflicted though, I love the style of this map - the slightly "plastic" look really creates a good impression of a hex-based board game, with the archers looking like pieces on the board...

They would look more like pieces on a board, if they were brought out to 3-D.

You can still keep the plastic effect, just change the pattern and color. That is probably all it will take to, "NOT" steal the uniqueness from Clando.

Kab looks to be using a pattern verses a texture. That is why you are seeing that "plastic" effect. Whereas, texture would bring out bevels within the texture. There are endless patterns and colors to choose from.

here's an update with some medieval art added. I really like the bevel here and I can't dissociate it from this map. I could eventually change the grass texture (that's the only thing I brought from Clandemonium).

Kabanellas wrote:here's an update with some medieval art added. I really like the bevel here and I can't dissociate it from this map. I could eventually change the grass texture (that's the only thing I brought from Clandemonium).

Click image to enlarge.

No Kab. you are not following me. I will try to explain again.

I was NOT talking about the bevel that you have now. I was talking about how you are NOT using a "texture" added to your bevel, because that would make the texture have a sandpaper effect, with the bevel, actually going into the patterned "texture".

Your flatness is produced with a "pattern". This allows you to keep the image flat. (w/out bumps). This is the "plastic" effect that natty is talking about. I am NOT advocating that you change that.

But you do NOT need to have the same pattern and color, that you do on Clando. You can keep the "plastic" (flat), look with a different pattern, and/or colors. Just make it so that it is not exactly like Clando. Even just a subtle change in the size and color of the pattern that you have, will make some progress, with separating the two maps a bit. Play around with it. See what you can come up with.

Also, if you are indeed going for the feel and depiction of a game board, with game pieces on top of it, then I would make the pieces, look like they are on top of the board. If you make them 3-D, then it will aid in the illusion.

just one notice/question: why some castles have one village not bordering with its castle and other castles yes?

I've explained it in the first post

Kabanellas wrote:Every Castle cluster will have a Catapult maker, an Archer training ground, a vassal Knight, and 2 villages (the more favoured positions/castles on map will have the second village slightly dispersed by 1 hexagon)

From a mod point of view... I expect you're planning on design briefing this soon. The only thing we need from you is a sort of preliminary small version of the map and the design brief. Since you're only doing graphics on Clandamonium and have one other map in the works, I think we can move this map to the gameplay workshop when you've met the above requirements.

From another mapmaker's point of view... I really like the pyramid look to the legend and hope you continue to play with it. If it's taking up too much room, then perhaps there's another way to put it together?

I also want to reiterate my suggestion for a queen. The more I think about it, the more it seems like it would fit in very well. She could attack the family members, and have her manipulative fingers in everything. I think the idea has the potential to make the gameplay more interesting.